– The Aussies –

I am not going to lie, I was actually more nervous about playing Australia than I was against the defending world champs, Wales. As a matter of fact, as I mentioned in the Wales post, I was actually excited to be playing Wales because then I can say I actually played against the defending world champions. I was a bit nervous about playing against Australia because they have some big boys and we have been watching how they have been cutting players down on field. We (Barbarians) are a team mostly composed of small players. However, that reminds me of my university rugby days. We tended to be the smaller team, but we were very scrappy and played with a lot of heart.

– Playing The Game –

The weather was forecasted that it would be partially sunny and partially cloudy for the qualifying games today. As the tournament got under way, it was a full sunny day with high humidity. The humidity was so intense, I kept getting cotton mouth every few minutes. I have not had to deal with cottonmouth for years. However, I noticed the could started to slowly roll in and eventually block out the sun. The darker it got, the more excited I got. That the unexpected happened, it rained! It was refreshing.

Anyways, after a few minutes, you realize the Australians are players just like us, human just like us, and it was not so bad. I mean, we got demolished, but it was still fun just to play them. By the way, we never got a chance to get a team photo with Australia because we lent our jerseys to the Barbarians women’s team. However, I did manage to get a photo with them after their championship game against Wales. Thanks for the photo Australia.

The post Barbarians Deaf Rugby vs Australia Deaf Rugby appeared first on RAM Sports Zone.

– The Defending World Champions –

What can I say? It was awesome to play against the defending world champions. I have played against national champions before, but never against world champions. Now, I can say that I have played against world champions. I was actually more excited than nervous to play them for that very reason.

The post Barbarians Deaf Rugby vs Wales Deaf Rugby appeared first on RAM Sports Zone.

– Playing Fiji –

When I saw that we were going to be playing Fiji, I immediately remembered a video I had seen about their insane training methods on YouTube. Although Fiji may have ran circles around us, they were not as fast as as I imagined they would be. However, they had good ball movement and organization on the field.

The post Barbarians Deaf Rugby vs Fiji Deaf Rugby appeared first on RAM Sports Zone.

– Playing Japan –

This post is more about a memory that the game itself. I was excited about the opportunity to play Japan because Japan is a small, but mighty team just like us, the Barbarians. I knew that neither team would give up. What is even more amazing is that Japan came with only seven players. I thought there was a minimum number of required players to have a team, so I am not sure about the technicalities. Anyways, speaking of never giving up, let me about one of the best rugby union games I have ever seen.

– 2015 Rugby World Cup –

One of the best test matches I have ever seen was during the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Japan had to play South Africa for their first game in pool play. After an intense battle, in the last minute of the game, Japan came from behind to score a game winning try defeating South Africa 34 – 32. This amazing win sent shock waves around the world throughout the rugby community. This is how I knew Japan would be playing with tenacity during the Deaf Rugby World Cup. So, it was a honor to play against Japan.

The post Barbarians Deaf Rugby vs Japan Deaf Rugby appeared first on RAM Sports Zone.

– A Unique Team –

Men’s and women’s rugby teams from all over the world will unite for common cause in Córdoba, Argentina on April 5, 2023: Sevens Deaf Rugby World Cup. There is one team that will be different from all of the others and that team is non other than the Barbarians Deaf Rugby team. What makes this team so special is that it is a team composed of various players from different countries.

– Meet The Players –

– Player Profiles –

Be sure to check out the Barbarians Deaf Rugby player profiles for additional information including their tournament statistics.

The post Barbarians Deaf Rugby Team appeared first on RAM Sports Zone.

– The Sponsors –

Two great sponsors have answered the call to help the Barbarian Deaf Rugby team with playing jerseys, shorts, and training shirts for the upcoming Sevens Deaf Rugby World Cup. So, who are they?

– The Socially Distant Sports Bar –

The Socially Distant Sports Bar was born due to the lack of live sports in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The dynamic trio consists of a journalist and two comedians. Three years later, they have grown in to a global podcast with thousands of followers and have garnered several awards. If you are in the mood for sports and a few good laughs, check out Steffan Garrero, Elis James, and Mike Bubbins on their podcast.

– RAM Sports Zone –

RAMSZ (Rugby And More Sports Zone) is a new sports media photography platform that has launched just in time for the 2023 Sevens Deaf Rugby World Cup. The owner of RAMSZ is not only a rugby player, coach, referee, fan, and photographer; he is also deaf. He was born deaf due to the Rubella virus, also known as German Measles. However, he considers himself very lucky considering the severe implications of this virus. Rubella can cause three main side effects: physical deformity, mental disabilities, and deafness.

RAMSZ is a platform to showcase not only rugby, but all sports. However, it is not your ordinary sports media website. It combines sports media and photography with a personal touch in a concept he calls The Athletic Photographer (TAP). He does not just sit on the sidelines, he gets into the game and plays as well. As an active athlete, he looks forward to continue playing the sports he loves while exploring other sports he has never played becase he is The Athletic Photographer.

The post Barbarian Deaf Rugby Sponsors appeared first on RAM Sports Zone.

– The Team –

South African deaf rugby coach, Michael Oosthuyzen, will be coaching the international mean’s Barbarians Deaf Rugby team for the second Sevens Deaf Rugby World Cup from April 5th – 9th in Córdoba, Argentina. Coach Oosthuyzen is not only the new President for the South Africa Deaf Rugby Union, he is also the Chair of World Deaf Rugby.

– The Jersey –

One of the team’s international players, Dara Smith from the RAM Sports Zone, more commonly known as RAMSZ (Rugby And More Sports Zone), designed the jersey to memorialize such an important event.

What does it all mean?

Symbolism: The overall design of the Barbarians Deaf Rugby jersey if full of symbolism illustrating the unique characteristics of the team. These characteristics explained below include unity, dominance, evolution, victory, courage, bravery, and fearlessness.

Components: I wanted to create something that would reflect the nationality of all its players to give the team a sense of identity and pride. My goal was to bring the team together in spirit before we meet in person. To begin this process, I downloaded the flags that represented each player from their respective country. Next, I researched the significance of all the elements of each flag. Then, the relative components were selected. Finally, these components were pieced together to not only create a design, but to tell a story.

– The Design –

The Front . . .

Barbarians Rugby: The foundation is obviously based on the Barbarians’ traditional black and white stripes. The Barbarians is a team that is always comprised of players from many different teams or different countries. That is what makes the Barbarians name so unique.

South Africa: Of course you have to represent the coach who is from South Africa. What is a team without its fearless leader? Since he is the glue that will bind us together, this element was placed front and center of the design.

Logo Design: All teams need an identity and this is no ordinary team by any means. How could I create a logo that represented the team? The barbarians’ color are black and white, all the players are deaf, and we are playing the sport of rugby. So, the equation is: Barbarians + Deaf + Rugby = Logo.

Logo Solution: Barbarians equals black and white colors. Deaf equals the sign language letter “d”. Rugby equals an abstract version of the rugby ball. I combined the sign language letter “d” with a rugby ball and made it black and white. The team now has an identity.

Sponsors: Anyone who has ever played sports knows how important sponsors are. It does not matter how big or how small the contribution is; what matters the most is the belief that the sponsors have in the team. Therefore, the sponsors logos are front and center on the chest for everyone to appreciate their hard work, dedication, and commitment. Thanks to The Socially Distant Sports Bar and RAMSZ for sponsoring Barbarians Deaf Rugby.

The Right Sleeve . . .

Stars: The United States, Chile, and Brazil all have stars in their designs making for a beautiful design.

United States: There are fifty starts united together, one star representing each state of the United States. These fifty stars create the background for the Chilean and Brazilin elements. On a team with varying international players, each player is representing their respective country in a united cause; to play rugby.

Chile: There is only one star and that star is meant to act as a dominate guide leading to progress and honor. The star is based off of the Mapuche Arauca Star representing both the canelo flower (ability to withstand different climate zones) and Venus (the brightest natural object in the sky), both which are dominate in their own way. This lead to the creation of the lone star on the flag. Therefore, one dominate Star in placed in the midst of all the stars.

Brazil: The circle encasing twenty-one stars of varying sizes was selected to represent Brazil. Most people commonly mistake the the circle for the world when in reality it represents the Brazilian sky, specifically the sky in Rio de Janeiro. These stars represent the federal units (states) in Brazil. Interesting fact: Any time a new federal unit is created or goes extinct, a new star must be added to or eliminated from the flag. In essence, the Brazilian flag is a living flag as the design evolves along with the country. Just as these federal units come and go, so do the players who play with Barbarians Rugby. As mentioned earlier, Barbarians Rugby is known for having a mix of players in varying sizes that come and go. Even though federal units and Barbarians players all come and go, what do they have in common? The ability to evolve and continue.

The Left Sleeve . . .

Protection: Portugal, England, and Wales deal with some form of protection making for a nice coat of arms design.

Portugal: What is a design without a shield? The shield is one of the oldest symbols being present in every historical Portugal flag in some form or another. These castles depict victories over enemies representing a sense of power. Barbarians rugby players usually have a strong determination to do difficult things such as play with a group of players that have never played together before. However, what is the goal of every player, every team? To be victorious. When everyone is united in the same goal that is power.

England: Who couldn’t use a little protection from the red cross? The red cross is known as Saint George’s Cross in memory of the patron Saint of England. The red cross represents courage and bravery symbolizing triumph of good over evil. Barbarians Rugby is a team of players whom never practice or play together on a regular basis. It definitely takes a lot of courage and bravery to try to overcome teams who have the advantage of possibly being together for years.

Wales: What is a shield without a dragon? The red dragon represents the fearlessness of its people. In battle, we are usually face to face with each other. However, often times, the thing we overlook could be the aspect that is the most dangerous. The tail is a reminder to pay attention to all of your surroundings because the Welsh are fearless.

The Back . . .

Names: To have your name on the jersey instills a since of pride. So, players will choose the name they would like to display on the jersey.

Numbers: Since this is a non-traditional team in a sense, the players will also choose the number they would like to have instead of your traditional one through seven as in traditional sevens games.

– The Animation –

Jersey design animation coming soon!!!

The post Barbarians Deaf Rugby Jersey appeared first on RAM Sports Zone.

– Argentina Deaf Rugby Union –

The second ever Sevens Deaf Rugby World Cup will be hosted by the Argentina Deaf Rugby Union on April 5th-9th in Cordoba, Argentina. This monumental event will showcase some of the best men and women deaf rugby players in the world. In 2018, Wales* defeated England 21-15 to win the inaugural men’s Sevens Deaf Rugby World Cup in Australia and England* defeated Australia 5-0 in the women’s division.

– Men’s Teams –

– Women’s Teams –

The post 2023 Sevens Deaf Rugby World Cup appeared first on RAM Sports Zone.

– WELCOME –

Welcome to RAM Sports Zone or RAMSZ for short. The Rugby and More Sports Zone is a sports media photography website dedicated to all sports. However, as noted, the primary focus will be on rugby. As an athlete who has competed, coached, and officiated a variety of sports for many years, I have the experience to anticipate the important moments. I still compete in sports sometimes, but my main goal is to use my photography to capture moments that will last a lifetime. I am also looking forward to working with athletes to create a porfolio of sports portraits. Join me here at RAMSZ on this grand adventure as I photograph the sports we all love as I also challenge myself to explore other sports that are not so familiar.

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